


Give In

by skippy3



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Han is trying to be nice, Leia is suspicious, NSFW, Pre-Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-11-02 04:49:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20627285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skippy3/pseuds/skippy3
Summary: Set just before the events of The Empire Strikes Back, Leia acknowledges to herself that she has fallen for Han who then throws her a curveball one evening by being nice to her. As Han encourages Leia to grieve for her people, Leia gets her wires crossed and they find themselves back in familiar territory until Han forces her to confront her feelings, while he admits his.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! After 7 years on this site, I'm feeling brave enough to start posting works that I've written well over ten years ago, this being one of them. I'm a massive SW fan and have been since I was around five. I've alway been a Han/Leia shipper and still haven't quite forgiven Disney for what they did to these two. Characters belong to George / Disney. Constructive feedback always appreciated.

He was there, next to her now. When he had gotten up and traversed the table so that he was sat next to her rather than opposite her, she didn’t know. She only felt him take her hand in both of his and hold it protectively, tracing outlines only he knew were there on her palm. 

“It’s ok to give in, Leia.”

There she was, fighting the grief that she had pent up for so long over her home planet, the loss of her people, her friends, her family, her father and all she could register was that the man she had slowly and infuriatingly fallen in love with over the last two and a half years had called her Leia. Not Princess, Your Highnessness, Your Worshipfulness, a committee, sweetheart. Just Leia. And it wasn't just the fact that he had called her that, it was the tone in which he had said it. No venom or sarcasm, just tenderness and care. Could he really care under that hard exterior or was this just a one off? An ulterior motive to satisfy a bet, a craving or some sick way to rile her like he seemed so much to enjoy doing.

——————————

The evening had started off pleasantly enough. The Rogues had arranged a Sabacc game, naturally inviting him. Luke had invited Leia. Feeling lonely and low as she was, the evening Luke had offered seemed infinitely better than staring at the four walls of her quarters. Sabacc wasn't her game, not really and after a few rounds she had dropped out, content just to watch but her mind betrayed her again and again as it reminded her of similar evenings spent with friends long ago murdered by the perennial beast that she and her new friends here in this room continually tried to slay. 

At some point, he had obviously noticed her disquiet and he too soon excused himself from the game, taking a fresh drink over to her. He had been nice to her all evening; it always threw her off center when he was like that. She became paranoid; did he know how she felt about him? He handed her the drink, not quite taking his hand away in time when she grasped the glass, thus touching his fingers too, desperately trying to hide the shock of the thrill coursing through her. She looked up to him and he was already looking at her, those hazel eyes searching her face as if looking for a clue for what to say, for once not wanting to get a rise.

“Thanks” she said as he finally withdrew his hand.

He smiled a closed lip smile, not the lopsided one she loved. “No problem. Mind if I sit?”

Leia gestured to the seat and he sat, not saying anything further. It stayed like this for a while; it wasn't awkward, more companionable and eventually the Rogues started drifting off for bed or watch or a promise.

“Alderaan?” Neither of them had spoken for such a long time that she nearly jumped when she heard him speak. She looked from where Wedge and Luke were packing up the deck of cards to him, his face etched with concern. Her face was blank, not quite comprehending what he had said.

“Alderaan?” he prompted again. “You’re so quiet this evening, like you’re somewhere else.” He raised the glass to his lips and took a healthy drink. He set the glass back down and swallowed, raising his finger to her head. “Up there.”

“I’m fine.” She said in what she hoped was her most reassuring tone, hearing instead the lameness and observing the doubt in those hazel eyes. He continued looking at her, both knowing she had effectively just lied. This is where he would normally begin the tease, the barbed comments, the sarcastic retorts. Tonight though, he held her gaze before looking down at the glass and the condensation it had left on the table. His finger traced the water and began to draw with it on the table.

“I haven’t been back to Corellia for… oh years now. I don’t even know if my folks are still around or not. I don’t really remember them no more. Shrike took me when I was about three. Dewlanna became my folks in a sense. Then he killed her.” He took another sip of his drink, swallowing down his grief, until this moment only known to him and Leia absently noticed that they were now on their own in the room, Luke and Wedge gone. Her attention went back to him, her heart breaking at what his childhood must have been like, if you could call it that. “So you see, me and you,” he continued, “we may be different in lots of ways but we ain’t so different in others. I know what it’s like to have everything that’s important to you taken away.” He looked at her for a reaction and he could see it as clearly as she could feel it. Those walls of hers were coming apart. “You lead these people. Day in, day out with this seemingly impenetrable…” he fumbled for the right word, his hand raised as if he would be able to grab it from thin air “…mask. But I can see. I can see the pain. I can see the pain ‘cos I recognise it.” His eyes bored into hers, daring her to deny it.

His admission caught her and she let out a shaky breath, trying not to let it turn into tears. She watched the pain in his eyes and she knew he was telling her the truth. This wasn’t a game. She felt the dampness on her cheeks and realising she had lost the battle, let the tears come. She buried her head in her hands and let the grief overwhelm her, her whole body wracking with her pain. How long she was like this for she did not know but she was semi aware of his touch, him taking her hand from her face, her hand in both of his and the pleasant sensation of his finger moving on her palm. 

“It’s ok to give in Leia.”

And she did. She moved into him and buried her head into his shirt. She felt his arm come round her back and hold her securely to him, whilst he whispered soothing words, comforting words. He kissed her on the top of her head and brought his other arm around her and gradually she stilled, her grief spent for the time being. Eventually she brought her head up from its makeshift pillow and looked at him, her eyes searching his, looking for a sign - anything to tell her that he wasn’t just doing this because he happened to be the only one there.

“Is it?” she asked tentatively.

“Is it what, Leia?” he responded, confused, forgetting what he had just said to her.

“Is it ok? To give in?” she asked him again, still searching his face.

“Yeah, sure it is.” He returned, still confused but trying to be reassuring, meeting her eyes.

“Then I give in, Han.” She leaned her lips into his and kissed him. So caught up was she in her feelings for him that it took her a moment to realise he had not kissed her back. She withdrew and opened her eyes to find him staring disbelievingly at her. Rejection and humiliation coursed through her body and she fumbled as she tried to stand up, seeking escape. She felt his hands on her arms and she heard the entreaties from his mouth asking her to sit down but she untangled herself and walked from him, the physical rejection joining the emotional one. New tears were finding their way out and she grew angry, felt violated and even though she realised it was all her own doing, she threw blame at the door she always threw it at. At the man she loved. She turned back to him, “I should’ve known!” she spat out at him, “I should’ve known! How could I have been so…so…stupid? All this ‘it’s ok to give in…crap!’ You don’t care! You were just playing me, weren’t you! How many credits did you bet the Rogues with, huh?”

The accusation finally brought Han from his stupor. Feeling his anger rising, he looked away from her, placing his hands palm down on the table. The silence was palpable. Pushing himself up, he turned around, a sneer etched on his features.

“Is that what you think of me?” Han stabbed at his chest with his finger to emphasise his point as he advanced towards her. At her lack of response he prompted her, his hand moving to his ear, “Huh? I can’t hear you, Sweetheart!”

Ah, back now on familiar territory, the pet names had returned. Leia knew how to play now; she knew how this game worked. She went to speak but he beat her to it. “You think so little of me? That I would do something like that to you? Did you think that I made that stuff up about Dewlanna and my folks to get you to cry on my shoulder so I could win some credits?!” Leia was backing up from his advancing form. She had seen Han angry before but never this angry and she was the target of his wrath. Her back hit the corner of the room and she looked at Han and the look of contempt on his face as he continued walking towards her, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. He was close to her now, his features softening slightly, the sneer now gone but replaced with hurt. “You don’t know me at all, do you?” Leia was looking for an out but he had her literally cornered. “Do you?” he asked again, this time more gently, his anger visibly subsiding. She searched his face and she shook her head. “You have no idea,” he was inches from her now and he reached out with both of his arms effectively trapping her to that one spot, “…of how I feel about you. How I’ve fallen for you, for a long time now. I didn’t kiss you just then ‘cos I didn’t want to take advantage of you. Not to mention you shocked the hell outta me.” He moved one of his hands to her face and brushed a fresh tear from her cheek. ‘Well, this is me Leia, giving in.” He leant down and kissed her, tenderly before withdrawing from her. He opened his eyes just before she opened hers and he searched her eyes for the truth. She nodded, reaching her arm up to anchor his head, pulling it down, crushing her lips to his, her other hand snaking around his waist, encouraging him to move closer still, which he willingly did. They kissed passionately for what seemed like eternity, reluctantly withdrawing from each other to draw breath. Leia kept hold of Han’s head so their faces were still centimetres from each other, ready to begin again. He took his hand from the wall and wrapped it around her, running it up and down her back.

“I’m sorry.” Leia whispered and Han shook his head, unwilling to accept her apology.

“No, shush, let’s not play that game, Leia.” He kissed her again, this time with even more passion, his hand retreating from her back and settling on her hip. Han pulled her towards him, his heat pushing into her stomach. He withdrew from her lips again, nibbling along her jaw line. “You feel that Leia? I want you so much.” She ground her hips forward in response. Han was awakening desires in her, long ago buried and she wanted him, needed him as badly as he did her.

“Then have me.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia gives in to her desires.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters belong to Disney etc. Some lines taken from ANH.
> 
> This was written a long time ago and I think it was my first attempt at writing smut. Go easy on me...please! I guess it's NSFW but still a M rating.

“Then have me.”

Han paused, not quite believing what he had just heard. He moved his head back so he could see her face and he saw the truth there.

“I want you just as much. Have done for a long time.” She whispered as she pulled his face back to hers and began kissing him again, one of her hands leaving his neck, travelling to his ass, squeezing it. Han groaned but not in pleasure, more in frustration.

“We can’t. Not here Leia.” He retrieved her hand from his ass and held it, caressing it as he looked at her. 

“My quarters are closer than the Falcon.” The words burst from her mouth, desperate. She blushed at her wantonness and he chuckled at her embarrassment.

“Your quarters it is then. You go and I’ll follow in two minutes.” She looked at him in confusion and he looked down at himself, her eyes following his. “I can’t go roaming around the corridors with you looking like this. Gotta think about your reputation.” He was right of course and she took his face in her hands, kissing him before she gently pushed him away.

She moved to the door and as she waited for it to cycle open she turned to him and smiled. “Two minutes.”

“Two minutes.” He confirmed and the door cycled shut after her.

.  
.  
.

Han had barely got his finger on the door chime when it opened and he felt a hand grab at his shirt and pull him in. His lips locked with hers and they resumed where they left off, his hands roaming all over her body, hers clawing at his jacket. Their clothes soon taken care of, he walked Leia backwards until her calves hit her bunk and Han pushed her gently down to sit. They eyed each other appreciatively but Han made no move to follow her. She realised that he was giving her a last chance to change her mind, her heart swelling at his chivalrous behaviour and a small part of her was mischievously wondering how he would take it if she told him she had changed her mind, seeing that he was so ‘ready’. She smiled up to him and held up her hand in invitation, which he grabbed, bringing it to his lips in such an old fashioned gesture. Bending down to scoop her legs up and into the bunk, he followed her into it resuming his kisses, his hands wondering over her body whilst her hands tentatively did the same with his. 

When his hand touched her there, she moaned against him and he prepared her even more, learning what she liked most. He moved over her, readying himself and looked down at Leia, still not quite believing how the evening had turned out. That she had said she felt like this towards him seemingly as long as he had fallen for her had blown his mind. She arched up and kissed him, her hand on his cheek. “It’s ok, Han. I’m protected.”

In his passion addled haze he hadn’t thought about it; knowing that he was, he had never thought to ask her. He felt her other hand on his hip pulling him towards her and he entered her slowly. This wasn’t going to be a quick fuck for him. He wanted to make love to her, to show her that he did in fact love her. He began to set a rhythm and she matched it, watching him as he watched her, intermittingly leaning down to kiss her mouth and her neck as moved within her, feeling her tighten around him. His arms began to tire and having come to the realization that Leia wasn’t as inexperienced as he had anticipated, he rolled them so she now straddled him, allowing her to now set the pace towards their climax.

.  
.  
.

She awoke around an hour later. She was lying on her side, her head finding its pillow again on Han’s chest. She lay there in the semi darkness contemplating how they had gone from being at each other’s throats to lovers. She wasn't complaining, it just felt so unreal. All this time, he had felt the same way and they had both been too stubborn to do anything about it. She felt his finger on her back trace lazy patterns and she realized he was awake. She lifted her head so she could see his face and he lifted his to kiss her.

“Hey.” His voice was still tinged with sleepiness.

“Hey yourself.” She smiled at him and his hand wondered down to the small of her back where he let it move back and forth.

“Are you ok? Y’know with what’s happened?” he asked her, hoping against hope that she was.

She leaned into kiss him again and withdrawing she smiled again at him. “Yes, I’m more than ok, I’m…I’m…I just can’t believe we were both feeling the same way.”

He laughed and continued to rub her back. “I know.”

“When?” she asked.

“Huh?”

“When did you fall for me? That’s what you said, you said you had fallen for me.” 

He looked at her, his hand still tracing the skin on his back. Uncomfortable with sharing his perceived weakness, he glanced up at the ceiling. “I dunno really. I was slow in realizing it, I guess. I was in love with you long before I realized I was.” He knew as soon as he had said it that it was too late, he’d never meant to say it, that word. Love meant a commitment and that was one thing he couldn’t give her. He had to go and pay Jabba. He had already left it far too long as it was. Although he realized making love to her had been a commitment in itself, there was still a way out, he could play the cad, extricate himself if he had to even if he didn’t want to. By saying he loved her, it was out there in the open, there could be no denying her his true feelings for her.

She was stunned by his words, “You love me?”

For a split second he thought about making a joke of it but instead he moved his free arm around her and embraced her. He could hardly deny it and it was the truth after all. What surprised him though was that he didn’t want to deny it no matter what his common sense was saying to him. “Yeah, I do.” He said no more, not daring too. He had already said more than he should have.

Sensing he wasn’t going to ask her when she had fallen in love with him, she told him anyway. “For me it was when you came back from Fakir, you know, that mission that we were betrayed on. The team were 10 days overdue. I tried to deny it up until that point but the relief I felt when I saw you disembark the ship when you returned, I knew I couldn’t deny it any more. I was lost in my love for you.”

He reached for her and kissed her. When he broke it, she was more or less half lying on top of him and he began to smooth the hair away from her face. “We’ve wasted so much time.”

“We have,” she agreed, “we’ve been so horrible to each other.” She swatted at his chest as he laughed in agreement. “You made it so difficult sometimes, you infuriated me. You still infuriate me.” She corrected.

“I know, I really do.” He admitted.

“Why?”

Leia had suddenly turned serious and Han was momentarily taken aback by the shift in her mood. Well, he could do pensive too. “Just after we got you out of the Death Star,” At Leia’s glare, her version of the escape being different to his and Luke’s after their debacle in the Detention Center, he corrected himself, “Ok, ok! Just after we got out of the Death Star and we shot up those TIEs, me an’ Luke were in the cockpit. He asked me what I thought of you. We’d just had our row and you had stormed off and I said that you had a lotta spirit. I could see that he liked you and so I decided to wind him up a bit. So I said something like ‘what, you think a Princess and a guy like me’ and he shot me down. And he was right. When I realised how I felt about you, I remembered that and I realised I had no hope of us ever being together, we move in different circles, you’re royalty, I grew up a street kid. So I decided it was best for me to not give you any reason to think that I did. Besides, you’re fun to wind up. Ow!”

She had swatted him again. “Well, you’ve got a lot of making up to be doing to me for all those names you called me.”

“What? You don’t like those wonderful names I give ya, Your Worshipfulness? Ow! Stop hitting me!”

“Then don’t call me it!” She turned serious again, looking down at his chest. She had to ask him it even if she didn’t want to hear the answer. “They’re not the only reasons though were they?” Han looked at the top of her head and swallowed hard. He knew what she was going to say. He had never made any secret of the price on his head to her, she had found out relatively early on when she had pressed him on why he wouldn’t commit like Luke had done. “Han? You’re not going to leave us, me now, are you?” She felt it was a cheap trick to insert the emotional blackmail in there but now they had finally given in to the other, she did not want to lose him. She looked up at him, her eyes continuing where her words had left off, imploring him to stay.

He had been dreading this since the moment he had admitted he loved her. “Sweetheart, I have to. The bounty is just getting higher and I should go before he wants my head too. But I’ll come back, I got incentive now.” He moved to kiss her but she moved her head, unsatisfied with his answer even though she knew it was coming.

“No Han, you don’t. I won’t accept that. If you go and pay him off, you’ll still have a bounty when you get back, if he allows you to leave. We’ve all got bounties on our heads here courtesy of the Empire. You’ve stayed away from him this long; I don’t see why you need to go now. You kept saying you were going to go but you never did. Please don’t go Han.” This time she kissed him, trying to put all the love she felt for him into it, trying to convince him. She pulled away and looked at him, “please?” she asked again.

He looked up at her, he was lost and he knew it. He couldn’t think of a time when he had felt so vulnerable. He nodded, again swallowing down his fear that his decision may come back to haunt him. “Ok.” She smiled and kissed him again, moving so her bottom half joined the top half already on top of Han. She reached down and guided him into her and slowly began to move.

“I have…a mission…in two stan…dard weeks, to…arrange new funding for the …Alliance.” She found it difficult to concentrate as he moved within her but persevered nonetheless, placing one of her palms on his chest as he held her hips, encouraging the pace. “I…need a pilot. Will you do it? It means cover, a…five night stay, top hotel, it’ll be like…we were a normal…regular couple.” 

He watched her move above him, loving what she was doing to him, loving her. He imagined them being able to walk around as a couple, something they could not do here in the base. “Yeah, I’ll do it.” Leia couldn’t speak, she was nearing her release and Han knew he was close too. She continued to ride him and soon they reached their powerful conclusions. She fell on top of him, both panting, trying to reclaim their breaths. He smoothed the damp hair away from her face and kissed her. “Where we going, Leia?”

“Ord Mantell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so you know the rest. They go to Ord Mantell. Something happens to change Han’s mind and then it’s the beginning of Empire and they’re at each other’s throats and Han says his “yeah, well the bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell changed my mind.” In my mind the bounty hunter they run into causes their fledging relationship to fall apart hence why they’re back to their rowing selves at in the South Passage.
> 
> My favourite scene ever in any film is the 'I love you/I know' scene but IDK, I think it's quite possible that this words were spoken to each other beforehand. The look Han gives Leia in the command centre before he realises she won't budge an inch on her emotions and he says "so long, Princess...", in my head, that was a look of a man desperately in love.


End file.
